Apple iWatch rumors get wound up again

An Apple iWatch is back in the rumor mill today, running deep with Dick Tracy nostalgia, Bond envy, and wearable future fancy. Since we have the iPhone and the iPad, and nothing Apple has already made is ever good enough, it's only ever what's next that matters, and when that's not an iTV, it's this. Preamble done, here's Nick Bilton from the New York Times:

In its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., Apple is experimenting with wristwatch-like devices made of curved glass, according to people familiar with the company’s explorations, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they are not allowed to publicly discuss unreleased products. Such a watch would operate Apple’s iOS platform, two people said, and stand apart from competitors based on the company’s understanding of how such glass can curve around the human body.

Mobile payments, proximity logins, notification projection, Siri integration, the dream list goes on and on.

It's not remotely outlandish to imagine Apple is considering just such a device in their labs. If Apple is ever to release an iWatch, beyond an Apple TV-like hobby, it would have to:

1. Make them money, i.e., sell tons of units at margin
2. Disrupt an existing industry and provide high value to Apple customers.
3. Increase the overall attraction of Apple's ecosystem.

iOS on a 1.5-inch screen would be interesting, but would it be interesting and far along enough for Apple to bring it to market this year?

Source: New York Times

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/2dqPZmhmobw/story01.htm

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES (IBM) INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

Nintendo's Wii U gets first free-to-play game as TANK! TANK! TANK! gets divided on eShop

Namco's TANK! TANK! TANK! may have a great title, but it looks like its sales trajectory wasn't too far off from its name. The bizarre Wii U tank battle game is going free-to-play as of this week's eShop update -- at least in Europe -- dividing the game into three pieces based on game modes, each costing £1.59 (€1.99). Should you choose to not pay Namco's light toll, you can play each of the game's modes for free three times per day -- that toll raises to £7.99 (€9.99) apiece after February 28th, so you may want to act quickly. The new pricing and division of the game goes into effect this Thursday, when the EU's Wii U eShop updates.

Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD

Comments

Source: Edge Online

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/kz0-170ixbQ/

QUEST SOFTWARE QUANTUM

Sonos app gets universal favorites, Android widget and iPhone 5 tweaks

Ask a Sonos listener about flaws in the Controller app and you'll often hear about three sticking points: favorites buried in separate sections, the absence of an official Android widget and an iOS version that still isn't optimized for the iPhone 5. As of Tuesday, the company is cleaning house by curing all three hiccups at once. A new software update puts a source-independent Sonos Favorites section at the top of the menu system; Android users now have a playback widget to quickly skip tracks, and the iPhone app finally takes advantage of those 176 extra lines on the screen. All the official Controller releases should see their fixes appear at relevant app stores soon, if not by the time you read this.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD

Comments

Via: Sonos

Source: App Store (iPhone), (iPad), Google Play

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/12/sonos-app-gets-universal-favorites-android-widget-and-iphone-5-tweaks/

SYMANTEC SYKES ENTERPRISES INORATED

Thousands of iPad Apps Is that All it Has to Offer?

The mad rush to get hold of an iPad certainly led a lot of people to believe that this nifty little gadget would put a smart phone to shame. The fact that users would be able to get thousands of apps on their iPad might have had something to do with craze and Apple did make it one of the selling points about the device.

Apple marketed the iPad as having specifically designed apps and that these ranged from leisure and educational ones right through to business applications that the average person would not be able to live without. Currently there are more apps being developed for the iPad which could mean there will be one for just about everything imaginable.

The iPad is loaded with apps, thousands of them and although some of these may appear to be useless at first, they are however available on the device should you ever need to use them. Some of the apps are really high tech but then the option is there for those who might know how to use them.

With this said there are lots of very useful ones too and this includes Epicurious which is a comprehensive cookbook that’s indexed for easy use. Simply by using one ingredient as a keyword search brings up recipes with that ingredient in them and then you can narrow the search by adding another keyword. With other lifestyle apps like Grocery iQ, these are fun to use and very useful to have at your fingertips.

When it comes to gaming and entertainment, there is a wide choice of things to choose from which includes high speed racing to more scholarly apps. Gaming is a great experience on the iPad because of it’s great display and ultra fast processor as well as it’s multi-orientation screen. This allows users to flip the tablet to whichever position the like best whether it’s portrait or landscape.

On an educational note there is Scrabble and Soduko which are extremely popular game puzzles that have been integrated into the iPad apps. But there are plenty more of them including Labyrinth, Monkey Flight, Traffic Rush to name but a few.

If you are a racing fan then the iPad apps available will get your head spinning. There’s Real Racing 2 HD, Asphalt 5 HD, F1 2011 GAME, Fastlane Street Racing Lite and many, many more. The total amount at the present time is around one hundred racing games which should keep anyone busy for a while.

There is even more choice when it comes to adding apps to an iPad. All you have to do is visit Apple’s App Store where there are thousands to choose from which means you are bound to find one or two that catch your eye.

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/thousands-of-ipad-apps-is-that-all-it-has-to-offer/

NOKIA NVIDIA

Boomshine is a soothing-yet-frustrating time waster

One click; just one single well-aimed click. That's all you get in Boomshine.

That single click triggers a chain reaction; circles start exploding, and other circles colliding with the shockwaves explode as well, creating their own shockwaves, which then catch other circles.

It's been done before, yes, but this one is a great iteration. The soundtrack is mellow, with lots of piano and some nice percussion (not electronic - it sounds like drums).

At each level you need to make a certain number of circles explode to go on to the next level. I got up to level 12, where you get 60 circles and need to make 55 of them explode. And then I kept trying and trying, but simply couldn't get it. I did get to 54 circles a couple of times, but as they say, you don't get points for trying.

There's no time limit, so you can carefully study the pattern of motion and place your click at the exact right place to create the best chain reaction. I've found that clicking near the middle of the screen works quite well, especially if the balls are slowly moving in that direction. By the time the first shockwave dies off, the oncoming balls usually hit it and the chain reaction continues.

What level did you reach? Screenshots please!

Boomshine is a soothing-yet-frustrating time waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/16/boomshine-is-a-soothing-yet-frustrating-time-waster/

FACTSET RESEARCH SYSTEMS F5 NETWORKS

This Broom Is Too Beautiful for the Closet

Generally, cleaning supplies should be something people assume you have but never have to see. But that does not apply to the Asahineko Table Broom and Dust Pan. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/-UIu-PY4f2I/this-broom-is-too-beautiful-for-the-closet

PALM OSI SYSTEMS

mophie juice pack helium – “lighter than air” power for your iPhone 5

We’ve reviewed mophie battery cases at The Gadgeteer in the past.  I had the chance to review a juice pack case for my iPod touch, and I found it was a compact case with a lot of reserve power to keep my surfing and tunes going all day.  mophie is now introducing the juice pack helium for the iPhone 5.  Just like the iPhone 5, the new helium case is thin and light – 13% thinner than previous juice pack models.  The 1500mAh battery packs 80% more power than previous batteries.  You’ll have up to 6 additional hours of talk time (3G), or 6 more hours internet time over 3G or LTE or 7 more on WiFi, 7 more hours of video, or 30 more hours of music.  The case protects your iPhone, and it has forward-pointing audio ports to redirect the sound from the iPhone 5′s speakers toward you.

You can pre-order the mophie juice pack helium now for $79.95.  The Dark Metallic will begin shipping on February 25; the Silver ships at the beginning of March.

Filed in categories: Cables, Batteries, iPhone, iPad, iPod, News

Tagged: Battery case, iPhone 5

mophie juice pack helium – “lighter than air” power for your iPhone 5 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 11, 2013 at 1:00 pm.

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/02/11/mophie-juice-pack-helium-lighter-than-air-power-for-your-iphone-5/

STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS SRA INTERNATIONAL

Libra for Android helps you track your weight using The Hacker's Diet system

I'm getting fat; that's what you see on the screenshot to the right -- my gradual move from chubby to portly. But never mind the numbers, look at the pretty graph!

If you've ever read The Hacker's Diet, this graph should be instantly recognizable. Each point shows the weight for a given day, while the trend line lets you see if you're gaining or losing weight.

When I use my "main" PC, I have a homebrew solution for creating and maintaining this graph. But I've had to find a temporary solution for Android, and Libra is it.

It's a beautifully simple app, very true to the spirit of The Hacker's Diet. You can create a shortcut on your homescreen that brings you right into the data entry screen, so you just tap the shortcut every morning, feed in your weight for the day and hit OK, and then you get to see your progress (or lack thereof) on the graph.

The app remembers the previous day's weigh-in, which makes it easy to enter today's weight (as they're usually not too different). The graph is zoomable and scrollable, and most importantly, you can export the data to CSV so you're not locked into the app.

If you ever need to track your weight using an Android device for any period of time, Libra is one excellent solution.

Libra for Android helps you track your weight using The Hacker's Diet system originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/libra-for-android-helps-you-track-your-weight-using-the-hackers/

EMULEX EMS TECHNOLOGIES

Apple iWatch rumors get wound up again

An Apple iWatch is back in the rumor mill today, running deep with Dick Tracy nostalgia, Bond envy, and wearable future fancy. Since we have the iPhone and the iPad, and nothing Apple has already made is ever good enough, it's only ever what's next that matters, and when that's not an iTV, it's this. Preamble done, here's Nick Bilton from the New York Times:

In its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., Apple is experimenting with wristwatch-like devices made of curved glass, according to people familiar with the company’s explorations, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they are not allowed to publicly discuss unreleased products. Such a watch would operate Apple’s iOS platform, two people said, and stand apart from competitors based on the company’s understanding of how such glass can curve around the human body.

Mobile payments, proximity logins, notification projection, Siri integration, the dream list goes on and on.

It's not remotely outlandish to imagine Apple is considering just such a device in their labs. If Apple is ever to release an iWatch, beyond an Apple TV-like hobby, it would have to:

1. Make them money, i.e., sell tons of units at margin
2. Disrupt an existing industry and provide high value to Apple customers.
3. Increase the overall attraction of Apple's ecosystem.

iOS on a 1.5-inch screen would be interesting, but would it be interesting and far along enough for Apple to bring it to market this year?

Source: New York Times

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/2dqPZmhmobw/story01.htm

MOBILE TELESYSTEMS NANYA TECHNOLOGY

Egyptian court suspends YouTube for a month over controversial film (Update: Google statement)

Users of YouTube in Egypt could face a month-long blackout of the service after an administrative court ruling ordered the website's suspension. The ministries of communication and investment have been ordered to block the popular video sharing site, reports news agency MENA, for hosting the movie short Innocence of Muslims. The American-made film has caused strong reactions since its release in September, at which point the initial complaint about YouTube's showing of it is said to have been made. Today's decision is a result of that ruling, and while the service should still currently remain online, Egypt's National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority has claimed it will uphold the suspension once it receives confirmation of the verdict. This isn't the first time access to YouTube has been restricted by a government, and the very same film caused the Pakistani prime minister to call for a similar ban at the time of the movie's release. The 13-minute video is still available on YouTube, implying that the site deems that it doesn't breach its own guidelines, but it does come with a warning for user discretion due to possible offence. We've reached out to Google for comment.

Update: Google has responded with the following statement:

"We have received nothing from the judge or government related to this matter."

Update #2: Our friends in Egypt tell us YouTube is working fine for now -- at least as of 13.30pm today.

Filed under: Internet, Google

Comments

Source: Reuters

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/PPHdogAdWq4/

FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR INTERNATIONAL FAIR ISAAC

Watch This Oscar-Nominated Short: Adam and Dog

Not every Oscar-worthy film is a mammoth, Speilbergian effort. Small stuff's good too, and what better showcase than the Oscar nominated animated shorts. You've probably heard of Paperman, and the animation tech behind it, but another one, Adam and Dog has popped up on YouTube and it's worth a watch. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ZfMTsTA5Y2g/watch-this-oscar+nominated-short-adam-and-dog

KEY JDS UNIPHASE

"Breathing Bike" Protects Riders Against Ominous Beijing Air

Beijing's smog problem isn't exactly new information, but it's been getting way worse lately. In response, local artist Matt Hope decided to integrate an air purifier into his bike so riding around the city would be less hazardous. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PTP9x2iXTdM/breathing-bike-protects-riders-against-ominous-beijing-air

IDT IBASIS

EU's Cybersecurity Plan Requires Members to Report Attacks

The European Union on Thursday announced a strategic plan designed to prevent and respond to cyberdisruptions and attacks. The heart of the plan: a requirement that all member states and key Internet enablers -- including some U.S.-based companies -- must report attacks. Web-based companies and critical infrastructure operators such as e-commerce platforms, social networks and members of the energy, transport, banking and healthcare services, would have to report security incidents and adopt risk management strategies.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/28594681/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C772630Bhtml/story01.htm

INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES (IBM)

Google Talk Guru answers questions via your IM app

Bots -- like the kind which automate IRC rooms and Google Wave -- are a good thing to know about. There are plenty of useful bots worth knowing about, too, including the Google Talk Guru.

Just add guru@googlelabs.com to your GTalk buddies, and you can start firing off questions. Lifehacker suggests that the same types of queries supported by Google SMS will work, though we didn't have any luck getting a response out of the Guru with phrases like "score detroit red wings" or "sushi R3N 1Y1."

Still, Guru does answer a good variety of questions and it works right within your favorite IM app. It's well worth adding to your friend list, especially for getting answers on the go on your mobile device of choice.

Google Talk Guru answers questions via your IM app originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/google-talk-guru-answers-questions-via-your-im-app/

ITRON IRON MOUNTAIN INORATED

7 Uses for Your Outdated iPad

While most tablets have a shelf life longer than six months (*cough* iPad 3 *cough*), they all grow obsolete eventually. When the march of technology sends your slate to the junk drawer don't just sell it off. Recycle it into a high-powered specialist device. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/RGPX5jLYFjY/7-uses-for-your-outdated-ipad

SYNOPSYS SYNNEX